Evaluation of breast stiffness pathology based on breast compression during mammography: Proposal for novel breast stiffness scale classification

Abstract

Breast cancer is diagnosed through a patient’s Breast Self-Examination (BSE), Clinical Breast Examination (CBE), or para-clinical methods. False negativity of PCM in breast cancer diagnostics leads to a persisting problem associated with breast tumors diagnosed only in advanced stages. As the tumor volume/size at which it becomes invasive is not clear, BSE and CBE play an exceedingly important role in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. The quality and effectiveness of BSE and CBE depend on several factors, among which breast stiffness is the most important one. In this study, the authors present four methods for evaluating breast stiffness pathology during mammography examination based on the outputs obtained during the breast compression process, id est, without exposing the patient to X-Ray radiation. Based on the subjective assessment of breast stiffness by experienced medical examiners, a novel breast stiffness classification was designed, and the best method of its objective measurement was calibrated to fit the scale. Hence, this study provides an objective tool for the identification of patients who, being unable to perform valid BSE, could benefit from an increased frequency of mammography screening. Dum vivimus servimus.

Keywords:
Breast; Mammography; Stiffness; Breast pathology; Novel; Scale

HIGHLIGHTS

Breast stiffness severely affects clinical- and self-examination of the breast.

Development of subjective stiffness scale based on expert examination.

Objective stratification based on interval of increment of strain energy density

Proposed scale correlates with subjective clinical examination in 92%.

Women with stiff breasts may benefit from frequent checkup procedures.